Wednesday, 15th July 2015
Phil Collen April 2013
Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen was interviewed earlier today by Jackie Donovan and commented on the new self titled album.
Phil talked about playing in Saratoga Springs, touring with Tesla in 1987/1988, the current 2015 tour, Delta Deep, 2016 Hysteria On the High Seas cruise and the new DEF LEPPARD album.
Phil talked in a little more details about the recording process and how the songs flowed quickly during the writing/recording sessions.
Listen to the full 8 minute interview below in three parts.
Visit the Album News section. For more news on new music (based on band member quotes) dating back to January 2011.
Jackie Donovan - Phil Collen Interview Quotes
The Self-Titled DEF LEPPARD Album
"We've got a new album coming out. We're pretty much in the can. We've just done some backing vocals the other day actually - just little bits here and there. But best thing we've done since Hysteria, hands down."
"I think the reason that turned out that way is because we didn't have to do an album. So we actually done it for the love of music and the love of writing Def Leppard songs. So because there was no pressure and there was no corporate push or whatever. it had a totally different vibe about it and we're so excited about it. It sounds great."
Nice to have that freedom?
"It absolutely is you know - because we wasn't actually gonna do an album. We was gonna do like a single or kind of an EP or something and all of a sudden all these songs started flowing out and I think that was the reason. It's because we didn't have to and it's like bands back in the day. You know whether it was The Beatles, Ottis Redding, you know the Stones, Zeppelin, David Bowie you know they'd get an idea and record it and release it. You know when the muse struck them. So I think it's gone back to that stuff and we've never done that before. So it was just great."
As good an album if not better than Hysteria?
"Yes. Absolutely without a doubt and like I said you know that was different because we had Mutt Lange who was a genius and he was like kind of driving the boat if you like. You know he actually had an absolute idea in mind and that was great. But this was a different way of approaching it and yeah and the result was kinda similar you know. In a way that the Hysteria stuff was classic but like I said we had a genius on board with us who was kinda driving it. This was a different way of doing it. So yeah very inspiring I've gotta say."
Everything gets compared to Hysteria?
"Yeah of course, Yeah. Absolutely but there's other kind of things that it reminds me of like the melodic content. That all of a sudden as there. We didn't really work. It just came to us naturally on this one. It was almost like we were just channelling it. It was a very weird experience but great and we done it over three sessions. Instead of like taking a year doing this whole thing. We done you know a bit of it in January. Some in May and then some the next February actually. So yeah it was cool."
And that's October we're looking forward to that album to drop right?
"Yeah. Absolutely."
- Interview Source - soundcloud.com
- Def Leppard - Jackie Donovan 2015 Show Page
- Def Leppard - Radio 2015
- Def Leppard - 2015 Album News
- Previous News - 9th July 2015